Another Umno leader, another "best in the world", another dead-end lie

In a show of desperation, the Najib administration has started to issue promises to the people but with the caveat that Barisan Nasional be allowed to retain power. Prime Minister Najib Razak should be taken to task for issuing such promises for just one reason alone - there is no way he can fulfill those promises because he is also the leader of Umno, the party that leads the ruling coalition.

In his latest rant, the PM promised that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission would get more independence if BN gets a two-thirds majority in Parliament. Why not just do it now, while BN is already in power? Why must wait till the end of GE-13 and only if BN has a two-third majority? There is absolutely no technical or legal need to wait for either.

To critics, Najib's Machiavellian suggestion is obvious. He is taking the Malaysian public for fools. The greater MACC independence is just a carrot but what he really wants is the two-thirds majority, which would give his government the authority to amend the Federal Constitution and this is the surest way for Umno-BN to prolong its rule of Malaysia.

Shallow comment shows off BN's true colours

The act of issuing such statements with a caveat shows the soft underbelly of Umno-BN. This is a political entity that does not have the political will to act in a responsible manner. Umno-BN will only act if conditions suit its interests, if not, then the rakyat or populace can wait until they fashion or dream up a scenario from which they can benefit.

It is also interesting to note that from Najib’s clumsy maneuver, he unwitting admits that the MACC was never independent in the first place. But so what, nothing fazes the Umno-BN. They live in a world of their own and measure themselves and others according to a creed that is completely adjustable with the main criteria that it suits their interests!

Whether Najib cares to admit it or not, the public already knows the MACC has all along been a tool for Umno-BN to use against their political rivals, when in actual fact, the MACC - like all other institutions including the police and the judiciary - is supposed to be neutral and independent in its actions and decisions.

But the reality is...

Malaysians got a good glimpse of the reality when justice was not served for slain opposition political aide Teoh Beng Hock and Customs deputy director Ahmad Sarbaini. Both men died mysteriously while in MACC custody and in MACC premises, both men the victims of unexplained death falls that had heavy connection with Umno.

MACC has also dragged its feet in the RM250mil National Feedlot Centre debacle, which is beginning to turn into the ugliest case of financial mismanagement and corporate governance in Malaysian history.

If the MACC has never been independent of their political masters, we can then surmise that the Police force and the Judiciary too are not independent of Umno-BN. Must we also give BN a two-thirds majority in order to ensure the independence of the Malaysian police and the institution of law? What about Umno-BN - who takes it to task for forcing the institutions to bow to it? Is this not abuse of power and corruption?

Yet Rafidah says "the best in the world"

This is the rot that has fermented the every structures of government in Malaysia today. For Najib to claim that with Pakatan Rakyat in power, Malaysia would go to the dogs is stupid. It is a foolish comment made by a discredited'Gua tolong Lu, Lu tolong Gua' (You help Me, I help You) leader. When one considers that BN has been in power for the past 55 years, since independence from British rule in 1957, there is no doubt that Umno-BN is responsible for the current and sorry state of affairs.

So when former Trade minister Rafidah Aziz came out guns-a-blazing a day ago to shoot down calls for reforms, no one was surprised. Why would the BN want reforms when the current system has been shaped and molded to suits its purposes - the chief of which is to remain the government of the day!

But even still, Rafida's over-the-top comment that Malaysia had one of "the best in the world" systems is bound to rile up the people the wrong way. “If it is atrocious, I wouldn’t be standing here.The word reform has been so well abused. Never use it unless you mean it.  If there was a lack of accountability, we will be like Egypt," she said.

Rafidah should be careful, her words may well come true. If her Umno party continues to ride rough-shod over the people, Tahrir Square's popular uprising may happen in Malaysia. A Malaysian spring is already long overdue.

The facts are clear

As the opposition mantra goes. It is BN that has brought Malaysia to this present state of affairs. It is the BN government that has created the greatest racial and religious rift in Malaysian society. It is the BN government that has created the huge income disparity between working classes in Malaysia. It is the BN government that has corrupted the moral structures in Malaysia - only a BN controlled media would allow the showing of pornography over national television. It is the BN government that has heavily amended the Federal Constitution, to suit their perverted wants and whims - as evident when the Royals were stripped of their immunity.

Yet, when examined one by one, the statements have factual basis and not originated due to political motives. In fact, they are born from the people's own frustration, manifesting itself through the decades in the form of an ever-strengthening opposition. This is a phenomenon that not only the BN but all political leaders should heed. The power of the people is still the greatest.

So why should Malaysians ever want to grant Umno-BN a two-thirds majority when it is evidently clear what they will do with that amount of authority. In fact, Malaysians must ensure that whatever happens, they must deny the BN two-thirds of the 222 seats in Parliament. They must defend a two-party system and ensure that there is always a viable and credible opposition.

Really, it is time for Najib to stop talking and just simply do it! Silly excuses such as getting two-thirds majority just to grant more independence to the MACC doesn't cut it. Malaysians are really not that dumb anymore. It is obvious the country has outgrown Najib, Umno and BN.

Malaysia Chronicle